Psalm 71 (NASB2020)

Psalm 71

Prayer of an Old Man for Rescue.

1In You, Lord, I have taken refuge;

Let me never be put to shame.

2In Your righteousness rescue me and save me;

Extend Your ear to me and help me.

3Be to me a rock of dwelling to which I may continually come;

You have given the commandment to save me,

For You are my rock and my fortress.

4Save me, my God, from the hand of the wicked,

From the 71:4 Lit palmgrasp of the wrongdoer and the ruthless,

5For You are my hope;

Lord 71:5 Heb YHWH, usually rendered LordGod, You are my confidence from my youth.

6I have leaned on You since my birth;

You are He who took me from my mother’s womb;

My praise is continually 71:6 Lit inof You.

7¶I have become a marvel to many,

For You are my strong refuge.

8My mouth is filled with Your praise

And with Your glory all day long.

9Do not cast me away at the time of my old age;

Do not abandon me when my strength fails.

10For my enemies have spoken 71:10 Lit with reference toagainst me;

And those who watch for my 71:10 Lit soullife have consulted together,

11Saying, “God has abandoned him;

Pursue and seize him, for there is no one to save him.”

12¶God, do not be far from me;

My God, hurry to my aid!

13May those who are enemies of my soul be put to shame and consumed;

May they be covered with disgrace and dishonor, who seek 71:13 Lit my injuryto injure me.

14But as for me, I will wait continually,

And will 71:14 Lit add upon all Your praisepraise You yet more and more.

15My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness

And of Your salvation all day long;

For I do not know the art of writing.

16I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord 71:16 Heb YHWH, usually rendered LordGod;

I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.

17¶God, You have taught me from my youth,

And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.

18And even when I am old and gray, God, do not abandon me,

Until I declare Your 71:18 Lit armstrength to this generation,

Your power to all who are to come.

19 71:19 Or AndFor Your righteousness, God, reaches to the 71:19 Lit heightheavens,

You who have done great things;

God, who is like You?

20You who have shown 71:20 Another reading is usme many troubles and distresses

Will revive 71:20 Another reading is usme again,

And will bring 71:20 Another reading is usme up again from the depths of the earth.

21May You increase my greatness

And turn to comfort me.

22¶I will also praise You with 71:22 Lit an instrument of a harpa harp,

And Your 71:22 Or faithfulnesstruth, my God;

I will sing praises to You with the lyre,

Holy One of Israel.

23My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;

And my soul, which You have redeemed.

24My tongue also will tell of Your righteousness all day long;

For they are put to shame, for they are humiliated who seek 71:24 Or to injure memy harm.

Understand Psalm 71

Walk through Psalm 71 verse by verse, then read what three commentaries say about the chapter. The explanations are written for new readers.

Read the Psalm 71 commentary